Talented filly Champagne Cuddles will take another step towards her Group One debut when she runs in the Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick. The highly rated three-year-old is being set for the Flight Stakes (1600m) on September 30 and trainer Bjorn Baker is running her at Group Two level for… Read More »
The deeper into the spring carnival the tougher it becomes for a claiming apprentice to attract the support of owners and trainers at feature meetings. While last season’s champion apprentice Beau Mertens has six rides on Saturday’s Flemington program, runner-up Ben Thompson has one, with the possibility of two. Thompson’s… Read More »
Jay Hopkins will have to reassess his plans for Got Unders after the veteran gelding landed an upset win in the Group Three Cameron Handicap at Newcastle. Backing up less than a week after he beat just one runner home at Rosehill, Got Unders ($26) relished a return to his… Read More »
The Everest might loom on the horizon, but Hawkes Racing is staying grounded ahead of Chautauqua’s return to racing in The Shorts at Randwick. A three-time TJ Smith Stakes winner, Chautauqua shares top billing with super mare Winx on Saturday and although next month’s inaugural Everest (1200m) is a focal… Read More »
A shot at Group One grade awaits Astoria after the Godolphin colt upset favourite Merovee to win the Spring Stakes at Newcastle. Despite Friday’s Group Three race not going to plan, winning jockey Tye Angland didn’t panic, settling Astoria ($4.20) towards the rear before bringing the colt with a sweeping… Read More »
Trainer John McArdle will give talented mare Smart As You Think a light spring with long-range autumn targets in mind. Smart As You Think runs in Saturday’s Group Two Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington building towards the Matriarch Stakes on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival. Long term… Read More »
Redkirk Warrior is poised to showcase his credentials for the $10 million Everest when he runs at Flemington. But co-trainer David Hayes is also keeping watch on the weather as he prepares the Newmarket Handicap winner for his spring return in the Bobbie Lewis Quality on Saturday at Flemington, reluctant… Read More »
Trainer Tim Martin has a mare out of Street Cry running in the George Main Stakes at Randwick, just not the one he intended. “I’ve got a bit of a sad story about Winx,” Martin said. “I had an Encosta De Lago filly called Miss Atom Bomb and when you… Read More »
Dual acceptor Theanswermyfriend will run from a wide barrier at Flemington instead of an inside draw at Randwick. The Robert Smerdon-trained sprinter was scratched on Thursday evening from Saturday’s TAB.com.au Handicap at Randwick to run in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m) at Flemington. If the gelding was to run in… Read More »
A win in Godolphin’s royal blue silks at Newcastle could be a portent of things to come for Kerrin McEvoy as he prepares to ride Group One Makybe Diva Stakes favourite Hartnell. McEvoy has eight rides at Flemington on Saturday, four of them for Godolphin trainer James Cummings, headlined by… Read More »
English is primed to make a statement for The Everest, but it won’t necessarily be emphatic when the mare returns to racing at Randwick. Despite an excellent first-up record of three from four, English’s co-trainer Adrian Bott was measured before the the five-year-old opens her spring preparation in The Shorts… Read More »
Promising colt Mishani Bullitt’s reputation as a tricky horse means he will carry his full handicap of 59kg at Doomben with trainer Chris Anderson resisting the temptation to put a claiming apprentice on the three-year-old. Anderson accepted with Mishani Bullitt in Saturday’s Three-Year-Old Handicap (1350m) and the Class Three Plate… Read More »
Life Less Ordinary has an opportunity to mark himself down for an above average spring campaign if his promising transition from English racing continues at Randwick. Chris Waller welcomed the six-year-old gelding to his Rosehill stable a year ago and after an acclimatisation process, Life Less Ordinary had a three-race… Read More »
Seaburge is one of the outsiders for the Makybe Diva Stakes but trainer David Hayes expects the four-year-old to run better than his price suggests. The Lindsay Park stable has two runners in Saturday’s Group One 1600m-race at Flemington with Seaburge joined by Melbourne Cup hope Ventura Storm. Seaburge is… Read More »
Improved stayer Ingeegoodbe gets his chance to prove he is Magic Millions material when he races at Doomben. Ingeegoodbe, who is named after an area in the Snowy Mountains, has won his past three starts over middle distances. He strikes a good field of Brisbane stayers in the Bentley’s Chartered… Read More »
Twenty one horses have entered quarantine in the northern hemisphere in preparation for the Melbourne spring carnival. Sixteen are at Newmarket in England and four are at Coolmore’s Ballydoyle facility in Ireland. Japanese horse Admire Deus. who will be trained by Darren Weir in Australia, has been quarantined for four… Read More »
New restrictions on horse movement between Australia and Hong Kong threaten Australian participation in international events in the Asian racing capital. The Hong Kong Jockey Club has expressed its disappointment at the decision by the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to suspend horse movement pending a review… Read More »
The world’s highest-rated sprinter Chautauqua has been described as “a freak” by co-trainer Michael Hawkes ahead of his return at Randwick. “With Winx you know what you’re going to get,” Hawkes told reporters on Thursday. “Whereas with our bloke it’s a bit different because he’s a bit like a Harry… Read More »
Part-owner Nick Williams says Almandin is ticking over perfectly in his preparation for a tilt at a second Melbourne Cup. Almandin makes his second appearance this spring in Saturday’s Listed JRA Trophy (2500m) at Flemington where he is scheduled to be joined by five of his Robert Hickmott-trained stablemates. This… Read More »
Despite being almost 3500 kilometres from home, West Australian Scales Of Justice doesn’t feel out of place at trainer Darren Weir’s Warrnambool base. Jarrod McLean, in charge of the Warrnambool operation for Weir, is hosting the Perth galloper and trainer Lindsey Smith for the spring. Smith provided accommodation for Weir… Read More »
